ORAS OU VoltTurn (Mega-Manectric & Landorus-Therian)

[RaminO7]

Hey, I've been running a dual Intimidate VoltTurn core and I decided I'd make a team out of it. I knew I needed something fast like Mega-Manectric for Volt Switch and then a strong Physical Attacker in Landorus-Therian to wrap the core up. I'm RaminO7 if you can't tell, but I'm into using my favourite mons and capping it up with good mons. I got inspiration from the cores list on Smogon, tweaked it a bit and then started building on it. I was thinking of running a Fire Type like Volcarona, but I didn't have any slots so if you feel a Pokemon is useless, give me the heads up. I haven't actually beat the whole team in my last 5 battles, all wins were forfeits when I was in a commanding position.

EDIT; Inspiration off Resource - Good Cores Thread

Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Mega-Manectric has some serious firepower. Sporting 135 Speed means it can get 405 Speed allowing to pretty much outspeed everything bar Mega-Alakazam, Mega-Aerodactyl and Mega-Sceptile and getting a speed time with max speed Mega-Lopunny. Volt Switch is the first part of the VoltTurn core allowing it to wash off Overheat drops. Thunderbolt is a hard hitting move and does a tiny bit more than Volt Switch and allows it to get 2HKOes instead off subbing back in. Overheat is probably more optimal because I'm going to be Volt Switching anyways. HP Ice picks off so many OU Pokemon for 4x such as Garchomp, Salamence, Dragonite, Gliscor, Landorus-T and more. Max Speed and Special Attack allow it to do some serious and fast damage. Timid Nature gets it about 36 more Speed than a Modest form. Lightningrod is the ability before a mega evolution so that it can possibly boost Special Attack to make a hard hit on turn 1/2.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 Def / 232 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-Turn
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off

Landorus-T gets a useful 145 Attack which isn't as great as before because of the new Megas like Heracross who get ridiculously high stats. 91 Speed isn't bad but it is not great either although it can outspeed tonnes more with the Scarf. Earthquake is the STAB move and does considerable damage to the foe, however, Earthquake isn't a good move to be trapped on as things like Dragonite can use you as Setup Fodder. U-Turn is part of my VoltTurn Intimidate core and does serious damage on things like Celebi as well as a sub in. Stone Edge hits Flying, Bug, Fire and Ice extremely hard especially things like Mega Charizard Y, Talonflame, Volcarona, Mega-Pinsir. Knock Off can really hurt things like LO Alakazam who can't OHKO Landorus-T and then pretty much get whacked.

Keldeo @ Shell Bell
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Secret Sword

Keldeo's SubCM set is still quite annoying and not having a Psyshock user like Starmie or Celebi. Substitute and Calm Mind are both quite obvious for SubCM. Scald hits hard and gets those burns that really hurt physical attackers. Secret Sword allows Keldeo hit crush Chansey and Blissey on their abysmal Defence. This set was mainly picked to counter Bisharp who can use Defiant and get +1 Atk (2-1) off VoltTurn. Leftovers allow it to pick up lost HP off Substitute. 4 SpD makes Porygon-2 get an Attack boost and that's not what it wants. The 0 Atk IVs mean less damage off Foul Play users like Mandibuzz. I know it should run Leftovers, but I thought Clefable needs them the most.

Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Glare

Serperior's set Contrary + Leaf Storm is pretty cool but when we see a Serperior, we all know it's gonna run Leaf Storm and so out comes Heatran. Despite that, Serperior pairs reasonably well with Keldeo and is 2/3 FWG. Leaf Storm is kinda obvious but anyways, it's the only STAB move Serperior can use. Dragon Pulse is good coverage and hits all of its resisted types on Grass for neutral bar Steel. HP Fire hits some serious damage on Scizor and Ferrothorn and can do good damage on weaker defences. Glare cripples TFlame and other assorted Pokemon as well as hitting Grounds with it.

Excadrill (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock

A Hazard Control Excadrill isn't that common, but I don't personally like Donphan, Armaldo or Sandslash and I don't use Empoleon as that, I like sweeping with it. Earthquake and Iron Head provide decent coverage over OU and are both STAB moves that do some damage but won't do so much due to no major investments for it. Rapid Spin and Stealth Rock where the main reason of this thing, I had 2 slots for 3 roles (Cleric Wall / Hazard Setter / Hazard Remover. The set gives it some good bulk and allows it to even get a 5HKO off Chansey's Seismic Toss. The Nature and EVs boost its Special Defence to a usable level and makes it fairly "bulky". You can also give Excadrill 160 HP EVs so it can survive 5HKO and either give Attack/Defence EVs.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Heal Bell / Flamethrower
- Wish / Soft-Boiled
- Protect

I've been thinking Magic Guard or Unaware. Clefable was my last choice because I needed something bulky and I needed a cleric, but Sylveon isn't that good, it's a CM Wish Passer and Florges isn't my thing with low defence and mediocre abilities. I remember once I was told Unaware Cleric is OP so I went with it. Moonblast is a solid STAB move and hits hard even unboosted. Heal Bell helps if a sweeper is inflicted and literally buzzes off Klefki, Thundurus-T etc. Wish allows it to either offer assistance to an ally or boost itself, but I didn't know if I should go with Soft-Boiled to get HP restored straight away and not risk getting beaten. Protect is my option to score some more HP and works well with Leftovers. I did also consider Flamethrower to whack Steel (Scizor, Ferrothorn etc.) but went for Heal Bell instead.

Threats

• Bisharp (and other Defiant users): Being able to boost attack instead of a drop pretty much counters my whole strategy. If I lose Keldeo and Excadrill, I'm pretty much screwed.
• Mega-Metagross: Pretty much everyone hates this (it's so an Uber mon, I mean come on, 145Atk and 110 Spe coupled with 150/110 defences is totally enough to to send it to Uber), having 110 Speed makes it deadly and it can hammer my team with the set Meteor Mash / Zen Headbutt / Earthquake / Ice Punch because everyone is weak to it some way and I can't really outspeed it apart from Serperior and Manectric. But again, Hammer Arm is more used than Earthquake and Grass Knot is used over Ice Punch. However, after it Mega evolves, it loses Clear Body and is crippled by VoltTurn Intimidate.

Importable PS

Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 Def / 232 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- U-Turn
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off

Keldeo-Resolute @ Shell Bell
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Secret Sword

Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Glare

Excadrill (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Heal Bell
- Wish
- Protect

 

[AD impish john]

Yo, cool team you have there, it could use a couple changes though. I'm going to suggest Latias over Excadrill, because honestly, I think Excadrill doesn't fit the team that well. Latias is Special Defensive like Excadrills EV Spread and is a Defogger by removing Field Hazards, which I think fits well. Also Latias can use Healing Wish to heal a Pokemon on your team that is low on HP. Now with that said I think Landorus-Therian should Defensive, as this allows it to setup Stealth Rocks and lets it be a slow U-turner letting you still able to Volt-Turn and be able to switch in safely into other mons. With Defensive Lando-T it can take hits better, than Scarf.

First off change Shell Bell on Keldeo to Leftovers as this allows to heal its HP each turn while with Shell Bell you have to be hit by an attack. Also if Keldeo is around, Bisharp isn't a threat.

IMO, but I prefer Miracle Seed over Life Orb, as it only does more power to its grass type only, so Leaf Storm is more powerful, while not taking Recoil from LO. I hoped I helped, have a nice day ^_^

Sets

Latias (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Healing Wish/Roost

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge

 

[RaminO7]

I'm just asking. Is it possible to use Latios > Latias because of the added Offensive power, and still being able to serve the same role.

EDIT: I really wanted Rapid Spin because then I don't remove all hazards. VoltTurn Intimidate forces switches which benefit my team by racking up hazard damage

 

[Aquarium1]

Really interesting team. I would change shell bell to leftover on keldeo.

 

[RaminO7]

Just checking, there is no item clause in OU. Coz I thought it was, but apparently it isn't

EDIT: Thanks for all of the rates

 

[Analytic]

Hey buddy cool team.

My first suggestion would be changing Landorus' set to a bulky physical wall. You really struggle against the likes of M-CharizardX, M-Metagross and M-Lopunny,to an extent, at the moment. Landorus is a good check to all of these, the reason why I'm saying Scarf isn't that helpful as the bulky set is because of the passive recovery that the bulky set has access to and the fact that it deals with Sand Rush Excadrill and the aforementioned mons much better than the Scarf Set.

Set:

Hide

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge

My second suggestion would be changing Clefable's spread to 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD w/ Calm nature. Your team struggles to switch into the likes of Kyurem-B, this EV spread allows it to avoid the 2HKO from LO Kyurem-B Ice Beam as well as giving your team a check to Keldeo and other specially offensive threats like M-Altaria and M-Gardevoir who do pose problems to your team. I'd go with magic guard as you gain a status absorber and don't need to worry about hazrads to take hits but at the same time, BD Azumarill poses a problem to your team so feel free to tryout both.

Set:

Hide

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard / Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind/Thunder Wave
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled/Moonlight(If Unaware)
- Flamethrower

My third change would be Amoonguss over Serperior. Your team is really weak to DD/SpA M-Altaria and lacks a switch into CB Azumarill. This is a decent switch in to them and this also acts as our secondary check to Keldeo which is a bit hard to switch into at the moment and a check to SD Breloom which was pretty threatening to the team.

Set:

Hide

Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 136 Def / 120 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power Fire
- Clear Smog

Okay my final change would be Heatran over Excadrill. Your team really looked weak to Fairy types and M-CharY in general so I'm suggesting to go with a SpD set. This also gives you a bird check although you didn't really need one but just in case, this also allows you to shut down things like CM Clefable which did pose problems to your team so it's a pretty important one imo. Also checks Bisharp

Set:

Hide

Heatran @ Leftovers
EVs: 248 HP / 60 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume/Fire Blast
- Taunt
- Toxic/Stone Edge

The speed EVs along with the timid nature outspeed Jolly Bisharp and Jolly Breloom. Rest dumped into HP and SpD for maximisation of bulk.

Leftovers>Shell Bell for passive recovery

Hope I helped :)

 

[Firebird Maniac]

I'm actually gonna go off a different approach from the previous couple of raters, because a dual Intimidate Volt Turn and Keldeo to handle Bisharp makes a strong offensive core. I would definitely add Bisharp myself because Pursuit trapping the Lati twins and Celebi gets rid of strong checks to both Keldeo and Mega Manectric. In fact, you cover Keldeo's checks fairly well between Mega Manectric and Bisharp. It also provides a form of priority move to save your butt if the situation gets desperate.

Also, I feel a Choice Specs set with HP Flying might be better on Keldeo to handle Mega Venusaur better, but that's more of a preference thing.

If you use this core, then hazard stacking would be terrific because Bisharp also punishes Defog and Volt Turn + Dual Intimidate just force a ton of switches. Personally I would use Chesnaught here over Serperior for that role. You cud use Klefki as well, but I feel it compounds the Ground weakness a bit (you could use Magnet Rise, but still).

For the final slot, you can still use the bulky Excadrill. But IMO you would struggle against Stall and frankly hazard removal isn't absolutely required on this team (or a Cleric, because both cost you momentum which is something you especially want to avoid as an offensive team). I think an offensive Air Balloon Heatran with Taunt, Stealth Rock, Magma Storm and Toxic/Earth Power wouldn't be bad here.

Anyway, these are my thoughts for now, because from what I'm seeing here, I feel it would be more appropriate to go for a more Hyper Offense route, considering your starting point.

 

[RaminO7]

Thanks everyone for the reviews. I'll try out the new suggestions, but I reckon I'll still keep Serperior (coz it is amazing when boosted and wipes like 4-5 of a team).

EDIT: I will try all suggestions and see what is best. I will go with a bulky Lando-T and a new Clefable set. I might try Bisharp but I will probably keep Serp

Firebird Maniac what do I add if I ran a HO team. A Bisharp, a TFlame, a Lati

Also Serp OHKOes Azu at 0 not even +2 or anything. Plus Manectric also OHKOes if I'm not mistaken

Notes

• Miracle Seed is doing well
• Lefties on Keldeo are great
• Latias is doing well as is the new Lando-T

 

[Albacore]

Honestly, I don't really have much to add here besides minor details, the previous handful of rates did a pretty good job of pointing out the flaws in your team and how they can be ironed out. I agree particularl with running Leftovers on Keldeo and a defensive set on Landorus-T. If you decide to do the latter, I'd add that Toxic is a great replacement for Stealth Rocks on Excadrill, not only does this let you severely cripple Sableye (Mold Breaker bypasses magic Bounce), but also bulky Ground and Water types like Slowbro and Hippowdon in general, that way you don't need to resort to sending Serperior out to deal with them (whic his nice becuase Sep is much better off being used latemagame and hates being set out while its checks are still active).

I also agree with a more SpD Clefable spread to handle Special Altaria, Thundurus and Kyurem-B better, as well as Magic Guard as the ability (though you do lose out on dealing with DD Altaria, the hazard immunity and ability to absorb status fits a team like this a bit more). I also think that a pure cleric set doesn't really fit on a team like this, it's a bit too offensive imo, and though you may be able to pass wishes to Excadrill you shouldn't really need to. Clefable has a ton of other oprions, personally I think Thunder Wave fits it very well, it enables it to paralyze sweepers like DD Altaria which cause trouble for your team, so you more or less get the same benefits as Unaware while running Magic Guard. You could run Calm Mind in order to give Clefable the ability to sweep, Fire Blast for Steels, or even Focus Blast to lure Heatran for Serperior.

Small detail, but I would run Leftovers over Rocky Helmet on Excadrill. Rocky Helmet is nice to weaken physical attackers, but Excadrill's lack of recovery means it's put on a timer. Leftovers gives it passive recovery every turn which helps it survive a lot longer and makes it less prone to getting overwhelmed by repeatidely swicthing into. It also lets you avoid a couple of 2HKOs, for example:

252 SpA Mega Altaria Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Excadrill: 202-238 (47.6 - 56.1%) -- 25.8% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Mega Altaria Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Excadrill: 202-238 (47.6 - 56.1%) -- 82.4% chance to 2HKO

232 SpA Pixilate Mega Gardevoir Hyper Voice vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Excadrill: 106-126 (25 - 29.7%)
232 SpA Mega Gardevoir Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Excadrill: 292-344 (68.8 - 81.1%)

(Leftovers makes living these 2 hits much more likely)

Altaria looks pretty annoying to handle if you can't figure out its set, since half of your team can't really touch it and all your checks are set-dependant, and Mega Gardevoir, for which your only good check, Excadrill, is easily 2HKOed by Focus Blast. I'm really not sure what to do about this, if Altaria becomes really annoying though I'd reccomend Talonflame on your team. It acts as a general check to Fairies, which you are pretty weak to, and also forms a FWG core with Serperior and Keldeo and deals with YZard which can be annoying,. There's no easy way to fit it on your team though: you could run it over Clefable, but then you become weak to Latios and to a lesser extent Lopunny, so it's not a great idea. Also, the fact that your hazard remover is a bit slow and unreliable makes adding a very SR-weak Pokemon to your team a bit of a problem. This is just something to keep in mind, I wouldn't really use Talonflame unless you make other changes to your team which enable you to fit it on it more easily.

The previous rate mentioned Spikes support being nice for your team, if you want that then I'd also reccomend Klefki over Excadrill on your team, it holds the same role as a specially bulky Fairy check, is much better at dealing with Gardevoir, and acts both as a Spiker and as an emergency check to swepers thanks to Thunder Wave. It's also a better check to Altaria and Diancie thanks to Magnet Rise. However, you do lose a spinner, but your team isn't too weak to hazards so that's not a huge problem. I'd also mention Skarmory as an alternative to Excadrill and Klefki as either a hazard-setting or hazard-removing specially bulky Steel-type, it walls Diancie and Gardevoir far more convincingly and has reliable recovery, so unlike these two it's not on a timer. It also checks MMetagross which you desribed as a threat (though personally I don't find it problematic since MMan+Lando-T deals with it fine), however it is a lot more passive than both Excadrill and Klefki so doesn't really fit too well on an offensive team like this, and Defog is mostly inferior to Rapid Spin since it removes your own rocks too.

·

sets

Excadrill (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Softboiled
- Thunder Wave
- Calm Mind / Fire Blast / Focus Blast

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Swords Dance
- Roost

(you can also run a bulkier set like SpD Bulk Up or Stallbreaker)

Klefki (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Play Rough
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Magnet Rise

Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Iron Head
- Spikes / Defog
- Whirlwind / Taunt
- Roost

 

[Chadtherest00]

I liked the shell bell keldeo seems pretty neat on a calm mind set